This Incredible Footage Shows Just How Much New Jersey’s Largest City Has Changed

Say what you want about Newark, but New Jersey’s largest city (by population) has played a major role in our state’s history. A massive transportation hub, Newark Liberty International was the first municipal commercial airport in the United States. The city is also home to several major corporations including Prudential Financial and Panasonic. Newark’s Branch Brook Park is the oldest county park in America and is home to the country’s largest collection of cherry blossom trees. We all know what the city is like today, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to relive life in Newark nearly a century ago?

The following footage focuses on Downtown Newark in 1928. The city was at its population peak around this time, with 442,337 residents counted in the 1930 Census. Today, Newark has a population of around 281,944. The two-minute clip highlights the hustle and bustle of Broad and Market Streets.